Lance Armstrong Criticizes Novitzky, UFC

UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky, along with other parties like USADA and the California State Athletic Commission, have defended Jon Jones in the aftermath of his abnormality finding in a recent drug test.

Novitzky says that the amount of Turinabol found in Jones’ system was smaller than a grain of salt. However, his comments have brought out a comment from a well-known name outside the MMA community, but one who Novitzky is very familiar — disgraced former cycling champion Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong left a comment blasting Novitzky and the UFC on Joe Rogan’s Instagram page, following the announcement that the UFC executive would be appearing on Rogan’s podcast. Novitzky previously worked in the US Food and Drug Administration, and he played a role in Armstrong’s downfall. A USADA investigation accused Armstrong of major doping violations in 2012, and the former cycling champion who overcame cancer admitted to some of the allegations in a 2013 interview.

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Armstrong’s comments did not go unnoticed, as Jones’ arch-rival, Daniel Cormier, the current UFC heavyweight champion and former light heavyweight champion, took another shot at Jones with the use of Armstrong’s comments.

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During a later media scrum, Novitzky would issue a response to Armstrong.

“Lance Armstrong is probably one of the biggest frauds and cheats in professional sports,” Novitzky said. “He’s out there making judgments — I think he’s the least credible guy to make those types of judgments. These same experts that are doing these studies and putting out these facts are the ones that basically exposed him as the biggest fraud in sports. So in my mind, that guy has no credibility to say whatever he wants to say. I don’t pay him any attention.”

UFC 232 takes place from The Forum in Inglewood, California. Jones faces Alexander Gustafsson for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title in the main event.